Airtight tubular coupling



Jan. 15, 1952 E. F. MARTINI-IT 2,582,446

AIRTIGHT TUBULAR COUPLING Filed July 21, 1956 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Jan. 15, 1952 AIRTIGHT TUBULAR COUPLING- Eugene. F. Mar-tinet, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to.

R9! 5391mm Gleaner Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporationof Ohio ApplicationJuly. 21-, 1950, Serial No. 175,049:

5 cl ims... 8 =17 l The invention or discovery relates to airtight tubular; couplings, and inparticular toairtig ht tubular. couplings adaptedfor use for making airtight... connections, between suction. cleanerattachmentparts such as, hose, tubes, nozzles, and-the like, in various. combinations More, particularly, the, invention or. discovery. includes. improvements in the airtight tubular couplings set forth in my U. S. Letters PatentNo,

2,245,151, each embodimentoi which onstit an automatic. detent. connectable and, disconnectable separable. tubular coupling. including twotubu ar m mber v ar an ed fo s parable.

elescopin icint re with each ther. a. pr n pressed. d tentmemberne ativdy. mcun ed ne f the. tu ula members. the. other tubular,

mem r. ha n c med-the inar cess adapted.

to ece e, h d entm m er the. etent mam..-

ber nd. h ece s v ub lar mem er. ha in l p ng sur aces, for. imp n ing, with each o her for displacing the fitent member, during suc; ssive movementsv f the telescop n tu u a members wtihv respect. to each other, and by.

which whenv the cou ling is being; assembled straight lon itudinal. telescoping movement. of.

theinner tubular memberinto thecuter tubular member servesv automatically to displace the detentirom its. protruding position until the. detent. registers with and spfingsinto, the 1 recess and; connects. the tubular. members.

Furthermore, in my. said-.1=?atent No. 2,245,151,

in separating the assembled coupling, the. tele-.. scoped tubular. members are twisted about. their longitudinal axes and the detent is.v displaced from its connecting projection into the recess, thereby permitting the telescoped tubular memers 0 bepul ed apart.

Moreover, in my. said Patent No. 2,245,151, a resilient. preferably rubber, closure sleeveis locatedon-one of the tubular members inair-tight engagement therewtih, the. rubber sleeve extend-a, ing from the one tubular member beyondathe end thereof in, separable or removable airtight. engagement with the other tubular member when, the tubular members-are in connected positions.

In the airtight, tubular couplings of my said- Patent No. 2,245,151, the spring pressed; detent member is preferably operatively mounted. on the inside, of the inner telescoping member, thereby avoiding the scratching of the outer surface; of. the inner,- tubular member which otherwisev occurs When the detent member is mounted on the outer telscoping tubular mem er.

However, thedisconnectingof the coupling set 2 forth in myPatent No 2',245,151, by twisting involves two diificulties. First, the recess or-slotin one member receiving the detent in the other member iselongatedand permits swiveling oi the coupling whichin someinstances is; desired, but the advantages of my priorconstruction can-not;-

be-obtainedwhere; swiveling is not desired. Sec ond, the prior construction automatically disconnects upon thelimit of swiveling -imovement; in either direction. Because. ofthis characteristic, the coupling frequently accidentally be-.

comes disconnected upon accidental swivelingor twisting at a time when disconnectionis not, desired. In other words, the couplingv of. my

priorconstructionisnot positively connected at all times excepting when a. control member is intentionally positively actuated to permit disconnection. I

The objects ofthe 1 present improvements in--. clude the provisionot an airtight tubular. coupling having all the advantages of the tubular coupling of my said Patent No. 2,245,151, and which does not-require twisting of the telescoped tubular members'withrespect to each othereto effect disconnection ofthe telesccped' tubular members.

Furthermore, it is an object of the present invention to provideadetachable airtight tubular coupling construction which is positively locked,- which cannot become accidentally disconnected, and-which only may be'disconnected upon positive intentional actuation of the locking detent.

Also, it is an object of the present in'ention to provide an improved detachable airtight tubular coupling construction in which in one embodiment the coupled elements are retained coupled" atall times in fixed position against relative swiveling movement.

Furthermore, it is an object ofthe present invention to provide an improved detachable airtight tubular coupling construction in which the latch mechanism is sealed; and in which the sealing mechanism. functions as the latch operating device.

Finally; it is an object of the. present invention to provide an improved detachable airtight: tubular coupling;construction havinga. very simplified arrangement of partsepermitting most:

3 economical manuiacture and convenience; inuse.

ort ll-t io lcwms ene al ta less-ii. s f

3 preferred embodiments of which are set forth in the following description, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the improved tubular coupling of the present invention and discovery may be stated in general terms as including two tubular members arranged for separable telescoping jointure with each other, one of the tubular members being an outer tubular member and the other tubular member being an inner tubular member when the tubular members are telescoped. The inner and outer tubular members each have formed therein an aperture registrable with the aperture of the other. A detent member is located in the aperture of the inner tubular member and extendable into the aperture of the outer tubular member when the apertures are registered with each other. Spring means on the inside of the inner tubular member support the detent member in the aperture of the inner tubular member and resiliently urge the detent member outwardly.

A resilient preferably rubber closure sleeve is located on the outer tubular member in airtight engagement therewith. The rubber sleeve extends beyond the end of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve includes a gripping ring portion beyond the outer end of the outer tubular member, and the gripping ring portion is adapted for making a gripping closure engagement with the entire circumference of the inner tubular member. The inner surface of the closure sleeve has a cavity formed therein. The cavity opens over the aperture of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve includes a circumferential rib located above the aperture of the outer tubular member, and the rib is adapted for being pressed downwardly against the outer end of the detent member when the tubular members are connected with each other, so as to press the detent member inwardly and permit withdrawal of the inner tubular member from the outer tubular member.

By way of example, preferred embodiments of the improved tubular coupling and parts thereof are illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, as on line ll Fig. 2, of one embodiment of the improved tubular coupling hereof, outer portions of the connected members being broken away, and the parts of the tubular coupling being shown in their respective positions when connected;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof as on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 are views similar to Fig. 1, showing the parts of the tubular member disconnected from each other;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view as on line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the rib of the closure sleeve pressed against the outer end of the detent member; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating a second embodiment of the improved tubular coupling hereof.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The embodiment of the improved airtight tubular coupling hereof, shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, is indicated generally by ID and as shown is a non-swivel coupling which separably connects a suction cleaner nozzle indicated generally by H with one end of a suction cleaner hose indicated generally by l2. The suction cleaner nozzle II is shown only fragmentarily and may be any usual suction cleaner nozzle. Similarly, the suction cleaner hose I2 is shown fragmentarily, and may be any usual length, and have another end not shown which may be connected by a usual coupling which may or may not be one of the couplings ID with an adapter of a tank type suction cleaner, or a portable suction cleaner either of which may be of usual construction and arrangement.

The improved airtight tubular coupling In includes an outer tubular member l3 having one end l4 telescoped within and having an airtight fit with the illustrated end I5 of the hose or flexible tube l2, and the tubular member l3 may be otherwise termed an adapter tube. The improved airtight tubular coupling l0 furthermore includes an inner telescoping tubular member I6 which as shown is an integral part of the nozzle I l and constitutes the discharge tube thereof.

The inner tubular member 16 has formed therein an aperture l1, and the outer tubular member l3 has formed therein an aperture l8, and the apertures l1 and [8 are registrable with each other. The aperture I1 is cylindrical, the wall of the tubular member l6 having a substantial thickness as shown, and the aperture 18 is circumferentially elongated.

Preferably as shown for facilitating the registration of the apertures I! and I8 with each other, an inwardly extending guide pin or head 19 protrudes from the inner face of the tubular member I3 intermediate its ends and the extremity 20 of the tubular member l6 has formed therein a notch 2|. The guide pin 19 and notch 2| are arranged and located with respect to each other so as to register the apertures I1 and [8 with each other when the inner tubular member i5 is telescoped within the outer tubular member l3 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5.

A detent member 22 is located in the aperture ll of the inner tubular member l6, and the detent member 22 is extendable into the aperture N3 of the outer tubular member when the apertures I1 and I8 are registered with each other. As shown the detent member 22 has an enlarged head '23 on its inner end in the bore of the tubular member IS, the head 23 serving as a stop for limiting the outward movement of the detent member 22. Spring means indicated generally by 24 on the inside of the inner tubular member l6 support the detent member 22 in the aperture I! of the inner tubular member l6 and resiliently urge the detent member 22 outwardly.

As shown the spring means includes a fiat spring 25 located within the bore or tubular passageway 26 of the tubular member l6. One end of the flat spring 25 abuts against the enlarged head 23 of the detent member 22, and the other end of the flat spring 25 is secured as by a rivet 21 to the tubular wall 28 of the tubular member IS.

The detent member 22 includes a shank 28 extending outwardly from the enlarged head 23. The outer end face of the shank 29 is formed with a curved peripheral corner portion 3 and the shank 29 is urged by the flat spring 25 outwardly so as to locate the outer end of the shank 29 and its curved peripheral corner portion 33 beyond the outer face of the tubular member [5 when the tubular members It and I3 are separated as shown in Fig. 3 and when the tubular members [6 and 13 are connected as shown in Figs: li and; 4.1. Whenutha tubular; members- 16-:

and: I 31: are I connected: the: shank 2 9i: extends in. looking engagement throughzthe registered; apertureszl'I-and. l8.;

Preferably as. shown the tubular-:member. l3 is :formed with anaoutwardly: flaring. end portion 31' which serves: to facilitate in depressing. the detent. memberi 22-.wh'en the tubular member l 5 Y is.;-inserted in thetubular member" l3 with thenotch 2i in alignment with: the: guidepin 58;. Afterrthe; complete telescopinga of" the; tubular.

member #6 into the tubular :member: !31 theparts.

Ofethe. tubular coupling. It assume. their; engaged positionszasrshown. iniliigss. 1; 2, and 4-, with the detent member 22* extending through they regise teredi apertures I l and I 8.

Gombined.;meansrfor airsealing the. connected;

tubular; members. It. and: ltzandfor; effecting releaserof the connected: tubular: members is. provided .byan improved elongated 1 resilient preierably-rubber: closuresleeveindi'catedzgensrally by 32; and including. a body portion. 33' makinga: circumferential clcsure. on the outer: tubular. member; I3. and having :an enlarged resilient gripping" ring-portion 34" located beyond. the end of. the

tubular member Hand makinga gripping; closure engagement with the entire circumference.-. of the innertubular member. I tswhen the tubular members' lfitand' I3 are connectedzwith each a other.

Inv thezinner. surface of the closure sleeve 32' thereis:.'formed;a.cavity' 35; and, within the. cavity 35 the; closure sleeve. 32includespa. circumferential rib':36:located above the aperture I8- as:shown in Figs. 4- and 5.

For effecting. disengagement of the parts of theyairtight coupling. It, as shownin Fig. 5, the thumb. 3.! of the. user is pressedagainst; the cutside=of the body portion 3'3 andv against the outside: of the circumferential rib 3t, pressing. the inner edge of the rib (it against the. outer end. ofthedetent member. 22' so as to bring its-curved peripheral corner. portion 3.53 within the aperture It as shown in Fig. 5, whereby pulling'the tubular members I31 and his longitudinally without twist.- ing, serves. todisengage. the parts. or" the inn provedcoupling Ii];

Thus'the curvedcorner portion 3610f. the-ode tent. member 22 cams'or'rides over. the edges'of the aperture I8 when in the positionshown in Fig. 5.430 permit disengagement, of" the. couplin and it likewise canmoil-rides. over the flared SI. of the tubular member lii'when the-coupling parts arebeing connected or; telescopedtogether,

Furthermore, the corner: portion to of the springpressed: detent 22 in being curved, does not. scratch thesurface of tubular member i'3 in conmeeting or disconnecting the coupling; and eliminates a sharp edge which might scratch iurniture and the like when thecoupling is, disconnected. and the end portion of. the detent 22. should. happen to strike such furniture. Detentz 2215 supported by the springrii, as described, and: is ,preferabi'y permanently mounted on the spring, athough it may be loosely mounted: thereon if. desired.

The embodiment of the improved airtight tubular coupling shown in. Fig. 6 is indicated. generally by Hi and is adapted for swiveling. Theconstruction of the swiveling coupling H9? is identical with the construction of] the nonswiveling coupling tilt-with the exception that in. thecoupling I I6 there is no guide pin Is and no notch 2|. Also in the coupling I it? there isprovided'in the outer tubular member It a circumferentially elongatedaperture118' whose length is equal substantially to; oneehalrgthe cilcumffll enceiof j the: outer. tubular member I3, whereas the, length; of the, elongated; aperture I 8*; inthe coupling lil is substantially twicethe; diameter of the shank 29 of the detent member 22. The elimination; of the guide pin lt-and the notch 2| and making theqlength of'the, aperture H8-sub stan-tially one-halfthe-circumference of the-outer;

tubular member i3 permits swiveling of thecoupling l I G;

Inthe coupling lathe circumferential lengthof the aperture i8; is shown-and preferably: is.-

slightly longer thanthecircumferential, length ofthe rib 36 in the closure sleeve 32, and the width of the rib is slightly less than width-of-theaperture or slot l8.- Thus, the area of the apere ture or slot It. is. slightly larger thanrtheend area of the rib. 3t, Wherebythe rib-3.6- -maybe pressed within the'contines of the aperture l 8.;

It is. to benoted that the construction of; theimproved coupling Hi may be incorporated. in, av coupling in-Which the inner tubular memberhas a wall having the same, thickness, as; the

In other- Wall of, the outer tubular member; words, the construction and operation of the. improved tubular coupling of. the present members.

In the foregoing description, certain; terms.

have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding, butzno unnecessary limitations areto;

be implied therefrom beyond the requirmentsof 1e prior art, because such wordsqareqused fordescriptive purposes herein andare intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved. construction illustrated anddescribed herein are;

byway of example, and thescoperofthe present.

invention is not limited to the exact detailsof.

construction.

Having now described the invention ordiscovery, the construction, the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and-"the advantageous new and useful results obtainedcthereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious-to-those skilled in the-art, are set forth in the appended aperture of the outer tubularmember when the apertures are registered with each other and thereby connecting the tubular members with each other, spring means on the inside of the in ner tubular member supporting thedetent mem' ber in the aperture of the inner tubular member and resiliently urging the detent member outwardly, a resilient closure sleeve located on the outer tubular member in airtight engagement therewith, the closure sleeve extending beyond the end of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including a gripping ring portion beyond the outerend of the outer tubular member, and the gripping ring portion being adapted for making a gripping closure engagement with the entire circumference of the inner tubular member when the tubular members are telei117- vention isindependent of the thickness of the walls ofthe innerand outer telescoping tubular.

scoped with each other, the closure sleeve having an inner surface with a cavity formed therein, the cavity opening over the aperture of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including in its cavity a circumferential rib located outwardly of the aperture of the outer tubular member, the detent member having an outer end face and the rib being adapted for being pressed against the outer end face of the detent member when the tubular members are connected with each other, so as to press the detent member inwardly and permit withdrawal of the inner tubular member from the outer tubular member.

2. In a tubular coupling, an outer tubular member and an inner tubular member, the tubular members being arranged for separable telescoping jointure with each other, each of the tubular members having formed therein an aperture registrable with the aperture of the other, a detent member located in the aperture of the inner tubular member and extendable into the aperture of the outer tubular member when the apertures are registered with each other and thereby connecting the tubular members with each other, spring means on the inside of the inner tubular member supporting the detent memher in the aperture of the inner tubular member and resiliently urging the detent member outwardly, a resilient closure sleeve located on the outer tubular member in airtight engagement therewith, the closure sleeve extending beyond the end of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including a gripping ring portion beyond the outer end of the outer tubular member, and the gripping ring portion being adapted for making a gripping closure engagement with the entire circumference of the inner tubular member when the tubular members are telescoped with each other, the closure sleeve having an inner surface with a cavity formed therein, the cavity opening over the aperture of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including in its cavity a circumferential rib located outwardly of the aperture of the outer tubular member, the detent member having an outer end face and the rib being adapted for being pressed against the outer end face of the detent member when the tubular members are connected with each other, so as to press the detent member inwardly and permit withdrawal of the inner tubular member from the outer tubular member, and the detent member having a curved corner portion on its outer end face.

3. In a tubular coupling, an outer tubular member and an inner tubular member, the tubular members being arranged for separable telescoping jointure with each other, each of the tubular members having formed therein an aperture registrable with the aperture of the other, a detent member located in the aperture of the inner tubular member and extendable into the aperture of the outer tubular member when the apertures are registered with each other and thereby connecting the tubular members with each other, spring means on the inside of the inner tubular member supporting the detent member in the aperture of the inner tubular member and resiliently urging the detent member outwardly, a resilient closure sleeve located on the outer tubular member in airtight engagement therewith, the closure sleeve extending beyond the end of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including a gripping ring portion beyond the outer end of the outer tubular m mber, and the gripping ring portion being adapted for making a gripping closure engagement with the entire circumference of the inner tubular member when the tubular members are telescoped with each other, the closure sleeve having an inner surface with a cavity formed therein, the cavity opening over the aperture of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including in its cavity a circumferential rib located outwardly of the aperture of the outer tubular member, the detent member having an outer end face and the rib being adapted for being pressed against the outer end face of the detent member when the tubular members are connected with each other, so as to press the detent member inwardly and permit withdrawal of the inner tubular member from the outer tubular member, and the detent member having a curved peripheral corner portion on its outer end face.

4. In a tubular coupling, an outer tubular member and an inner tubular member, the tubular members being arranged for separable telescoping jointure with each other, each of the tubular members having formed therein an aperture registrable with the aperture of the other, a detent member located in the aperture of the inner tubular member and extendable into the aperture of the outer tubular member when the apertures are registered with each other and thereby connecting the tubular members with each other, spring means on the inside of the inner tubular member supporting the detent member in the aperture of the inner tubular member and resiliently urging the detent member outwardly, a resilient closure sleeve located on the outer tubular member in airtight engagement therewith, the closure sleeve extending beyond the end of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including a gripping ring portion beyond the outer end of the outer tubular member, and the gripping ring portion being adapted for making a gripping closure engagement with the entire circumference of the inner tubular member when the tubular members are telescoped with each other, the closure sleeve having an inner surface with a cavity formed therein, thecavity opening over the aperture of the outer tubular member, and the closure sleeve including in its cavity a rib located outwardly of the aperture of the outer tubular member, the detent member having an outer end face and the rib being adapted for being pressed against the outer end face of the detent member when the tubular members are connected with each other, so as to press the detent member inwardly and permit withdrawal of the inner tubular member from the outer tubular member, and the aperture in the outer sleeve having an area greater than the end area of the rib.

5. In a tubular coupling, an outer tubular member and an inner tubular member, the tubular members being arranged for separable telescoping jointure with each other, each of the tubular members having formed therein an aperture registrable with the aperture of the other, a detent member located in the aperture of the inner tubular member and extendable into the aperture of the outer tubular member when the apertures are registered with each other and thereby connecting the tubular members with each other, spring means on the inside of the inner tubular member supporting the detent member in the aperture of the inner tubular member and resiliently urging the detent member out wardly, a resilient closure sleeve located on the outer tubular member and sealing the telescoped inner and outer tubular members in airtight relation, the closure sleeve having an inner surface with a cavity formed therein, the cavity opening over the aperture of the outer tubular member, and the closure ,sleeve including in its cavity a rib located outwardly of the aperture of the outer tubular member, the detent member having an outer end face and the rib being adapted for be ing pressed against the outer end face of the detent member when the tubular members are connected with each other, so as to press the detent member inwardly and permit withdrawal of the inner tubular member from the outer tubular member.

EUGENE F. MARTINET.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS m Number Name Date 2,245,151 Martinet June 10, 1941 2,523,770 Marette Sept. 26, 1950 

